Published: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 6:58 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 6:58 p.m.

Larry Adami turns the key at 4:30 p.m. to open his arcade to a crowd of families already gathered in the parking lot.

As soon as they enter, the children and their equally eager parents are greeted by a colorful display and flashing lights, rows of arcade machines with names like the “Lucky Zone” and the sound of tokens rolling through the metal guts of game after game.

There is a life-size replica of the famous “Price is Right” wheel. An illuminated 15-foot Connect Four wall stands right beside it, where players compete in the classic board game for a chance to win prizes. Arcades modeled after the popular TV shows “Deal or No Deal” and “Wheel of Fortune” also anchor the game room, as well as digital poker machines.

Forget Las Vegas: The thrill of gamers winning that sought-after grand prize can be found right on Clark Road in Sarasota.

But after more than three decades, Adami fears he will soon be forced to close his business, Livingston's Amusement Center, as part of a statewide crackdown on Internet cafes that many lawmakers believe too closely mimic illegal gambling.

The ban on electronic pay-out games that operate like slot machines now appears poised to sweep through the legislative session unhindered.

With the Senate version up for debate today, Livingston's is one of hundreds of family arcades in Florida worried about their future — with thousands of jobs at risk.

“I'm not sure how any of these Internet cafes were opened in the first place, but we're not like them,” Adami said from his office in the 50,000-square-foot local attraction. “Our business models are much different. We cater to families and young couples; they go after seniors. Just because one bad apple cheated the system, why should we all have to pay?”

A measure that clarifies the definition of slot machines that are commonly used in Internet cafes and amusement centers swiftly cleared the Florida House last week.

The Senate companion, also gaining strong support, is bound for a vote by Wednesday at the latest.

The proposals have been discussed by state lawmakers ever since small game centers made their way to corner storefronts across the Sunshine State about four years ago, luring mostly seniors with free food, cash prices and a place to spend the afternoon.

But the bills were fast-tracked this year following a statewide investigation into gaming activities by a military veteran's charity that ultimately led to 57 arrests and the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll.

Fighting back

Now the opposition is striking back. Dubbing their businesses “amusement arcades” and “senior arcades,” operators of machines that hand out gift cards instead of the cash prizes have flooded the Capitol in recent days.

The Florida Arcade Association drove a flatbed truck around Tallahassee on Tuesday loaded with white coffins bearing the slogan “Don't Kill Amusement Arcades.” Seniors wearing shirts with the same slogan were bused to the Capitol to testify in a Senate committee.

Arcade Association President Gail Fontaine blasted lawmakers for targeting businesses she said offer seniors a harmless diversion. The committee approved the legislation, and it could pass the full Senate as early as today.

At a news conference Wednesday, Fontaine detailed a plan with lawmakers to introduce an amendment on the Senate floor that would carve out an exception for arcades that offer gift cards.

“The games have been deemed legal,” said Fontaine, who was arrested and faced 11 years in prison but won her court case. “At Chuck E. Cheese's, you can get iTunes cards. What is the difference?”

But even establishments like Chuck E. Cheese's, Dave & Busters and Livingston's are not so certain the sweeping regulation will leave their games unscathed.

The amusement centers now operate under a 1984 law — lobbied for in part by Disney World — that allows arcades to offer redemption games with an element of skill to award tickets, which can then be redeemed for prizes.

Although most arcades have since replaced paper tickets with a reusable card similar to ones employed at Internet cafes, the basic principles of the law remain. Each game cannot pay out a value of more than 75 cents at a time, and prizes must be material items — teddy bears, plasma televisions or even motorcycles, for instance — but not cash.

Amusement centers pay an annual tax of $35 for every game and traditional sales tax on all money spent to buy tokens. Most Internet cafes can skate on those state revenue generators because their transactions are waged online.

“Everyone knows this bill is trying to eliminate these casinos on the corner,” said John Russo, who owns Saturn 5 Five Family Entertainment Center at Bradenton's DeSoto Square Mall.

But legislators cast such a wide net, he said, that ” there's nothing that prevents an aggressive law enforcement officer from walking into my place or Chuck E. Cheese's and causing trouble.”

Changing times

Bill sponsor Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, has insisted his bill would not harm legitimate family arcade games.

But Adami, who owns Livingston's in Sarasota, still has his concerns.

In 2005, he moved his arcade and billiards bar from its home of 15 years, on South Tamiami Trail, to a building on Clark that was about three times the size.

Adami quickly invested $7 million in the new center, adding an indoor go-cart track, a rock climbing wall and an alien-spaceship-themed PhaserZone course — a hybrid of laser tag and paintball.

Aside from the 136 game stations, Livingston's has a full-service liquor bar, 26 pool tables and a pizzeria.

The business has already has been hit by the Great Recession and the latest home gaming consoles, like Xbox and PlayStation, that have more teenagers staying at home to play video games on high-definition TVs.

Revenue at Livingston's has slid by one-third from its 2007 peak to about $2 million last year. About 45 cents from every dollar Adami collects stems from the arcade, and 80 percent of that spending originates from just a handful of games — the big prize-winners that the state is trying to shut down.

“You can buy a lot better game for your TV at home now than you can out here,” Adami said. “Nobody's coming to play those types of games. They're coming to win prizes, and they might buy a pizza or ride a go-cart while they're here.”

Similar impacts forced Pirate's Cove in Bradenton to close in 2007.

If Livingston's were to shut down, Southwest Florida would lose one of its only remaining go-cart tracks and amusement centers.

The company's 28 employees would also be out of work.

An Internet cafe now sits in the unit next door to Livingston's, and although Adami owns the building, he insists the cafe is just a tenant.

“It's an institution,” said Barry Seidel, president and founder of American Property Group of Sarasota Inc. “Livingston's has been around forever, everyone knows them and everyone goes there.”

<p>Larry Adami turns the key at 4:30 p.m. to open his arcade to a crowd of families already gathered in the parking lot. </p><p>As soon as they enter, the children and their equally eager parents are greeted by a colorful display and flashing lights, rows of arcade machines with names like the “Lucky Zone” and the sound of tokens rolling through the metal guts of game after game.</p><p>There is a life-size replica of the famous “Price is Right” wheel. An illuminated 15-foot Connect Four wall stands right beside it, where players compete in the classic board game for a chance to win prizes. Arcades modeled after the popular TV shows “Deal or No Deal” and “Wheel of Fortune” also anchor the game room, as well as digital poker machines.</p><p>Forget Las Vegas: The thrill of gamers winning that sought-after grand prize can be found right on Clark Road in Sarasota.</p><p>But after more than three decades, Adami fears he will soon be forced to close his business, Livingston's Amusement Center, as part of a statewide crackdown on Internet cafes that many lawmakers believe too closely mimic illegal gambling.</p><p>The ban on electronic pay-out games that operate like slot machines now appears poised to sweep through the legislative session unhindered.</p><p>With the Senate version up for debate today, Livingston's is one of hundreds of family arcades in Florida worried about their future — with thousands of jobs at risk.</p><p>“I'm not sure how any of these Internet cafes were opened in the first place, but we're not like them,” Adami said from his office in the 50,000-square-foot local attraction. “Our business models are much different. We cater to families and young couples; they go after seniors. Just because one bad apple cheated the system, why should we all have to pay?”</p><p>A measure that clarifies the definition of slot machines that are commonly used in Internet cafes and amusement centers swiftly cleared the Florida House last week.</p><p>The Senate companion, also gaining strong support, is bound for a vote by Wednesday at the latest.</p><p>The proposals have been discussed by state lawmakers ever since small game centers made their way to corner storefronts across the Sunshine State about four years ago, luring mostly seniors with free food, cash prices and a place to spend the afternoon. </p><p>But the bills were fast-tracked this year following a statewide investigation into gaming activities by a military veteran's charity that ultimately led to 57 arrests and the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll.</p><p><b>Fighting back </b></p><p>Now the opposition is striking back. Dubbing their businesses “amusement arcades” and “senior arcades,” operators of machines that hand out gift cards instead of the cash prizes have flooded the Capitol in recent days. </p><p>The Florida Arcade Association drove a flatbed truck around Tallahassee on Tuesday loaded with white coffins bearing the slogan “Don't Kill Amusement Arcades.” Seniors wearing shirts with the same slogan were bused to the Capitol to testify in a Senate committee.</p><p>Arcade Association President Gail Fontaine blasted lawmakers for targeting businesses she said offer seniors a harmless diversion. The committee approved the legislation, and it could pass the full Senate as early as today.</p><p>At a news conference Wednesday, Fontaine detailed a plan with lawmakers to introduce an amendment on the Senate floor that would carve out an exception for arcades that offer gift cards.</p><p>“The games have been deemed legal,” said Fontaine, who was arrested and faced 11 years in prison but won her court case. “At Chuck E. Cheese's, you can get iTunes cards. What is the difference?”</p><p>But even establishments like Chuck E. Cheese's, Dave & Busters and Livingston's are not so certain the sweeping regulation will leave their games unscathed.</p><p>The amusement centers now operate under a 1984 law — lobbied for in part by Disney World — that allows arcades to offer redemption games with an element of skill to award tickets, which can then be redeemed for prizes.</p><p>Although most arcades have since replaced paper tickets with a reusable card similar to ones employed at Internet cafes, the basic principles of the law remain. Each game cannot pay out a value of more than 75 cents at a time, and prizes must be material items — teddy bears, plasma televisions or even motorcycles, for instance — but not cash.</p><p>Amusement centers pay an annual tax of $35 for every game and traditional sales tax on all money spent to buy tokens. Most Internet cafes can skate on those state revenue generators because their transactions are waged online.</p><p>“Everyone knows this bill is trying to eliminate these casinos on the corner,” said John Russo, who owns Saturn 5 Five Family Entertainment Center at Bradenton's DeSoto Square Mall.</p><p>But legislators cast such a wide net, he said, that ” there's nothing that prevents an aggressive law enforcement officer from walking into my place or Chuck E. Cheese's and causing trouble.”</p><p><b>Changing times</b></p><p>Bill sponsor Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, has insisted his bill would not harm legitimate family arcade games. </p><p>But Adami, who owns Livingston's in Sarasota, still has his concerns.</p><p>In 2005, he moved his arcade and billiards bar from its home of 15 years, on South Tamiami Trail, to a building on Clark that was about three times the size.</p><p>Adami quickly invested $7 million in the new center, adding an indoor go-cart track, a rock climbing wall and an alien-spaceship-themed PhaserZone course — a hybrid of laser tag and paintball.</p><p>Aside from the 136 game stations, Livingston's has a full-service liquor bar, 26 pool tables and a pizzeria.</p><p>The business has already has been hit by the Great Recession and the latest home gaming consoles, like Xbox and PlayStation, that have more teenagers staying at home to play video games on high-definition TVs.</p><p>Revenue at Livingston's has slid by one-third from its 2007 peak to about $2 million last year. About 45 cents from every dollar Adami collects stems from the arcade, and 80 percent of that spending originates from just a handful of games — the big prize-winners that the state is trying to shut down.</p><p>“You can buy a lot better game for your TV at home now than you can out here,” Adami said. “Nobody's coming to play those types of games. They're coming to win prizes, and they might buy a pizza or ride a go-cart while they're here.”</p><p>Similar impacts forced Pirate's Cove in Bradenton to close in 2007. </p><p>If Livingston's were to shut down, Southwest Florida would lose one of its only remaining go-cart tracks and amusement centers.</p><p>The company's 28 employees would also be out of work.</p><p>An Internet cafe now sits in the unit next door to Livingston's, and although Adami owns the building, he insists the cafe is just a tenant. </p><p>“It's an institution,” said Barry Seidel, president and founder of American Property Group of Sarasota Inc. “Livingston's has been around forever, everyone knows them and everyone goes there.”</p>